ST. MARYS – The Sarnia Legionnaires lost a hotly-contested game here Saturday night.

The St. Marys Lincolns defeated the Legion crew 6-3 in a Western Ontario Junior Hockey League match that was much closer than the score would indicate.

In fact, Sarnia had a clear edge in play during the first period, outshooting the Lincs 12-8 and out-chancing them by a wide margin.

For the game as a whole, the Legionnaires outshot St. Marys 33-27.

Frustrating period

In many ways it was a frustrating first frame for the visitors.

Tyler Annett rang a shot off the goal post, Ilya Arkalov missed from close range and Brent Sauve was robbed by a hot netminder after he got off a goal-labelled drive from the slot.

To make matters worse, Tanner Ferguson, one of the best rushing defencemen in the league, was injured after being hammered into the boards. He did not return.

Ferguson was the scond Legionnaire star to be hurt in as many nights. Captain Tyler Cicchini, who was injured in Thursday's game with Brantford, did not dress for the St. Marys contest.

Former Legionnaire Josh Cornelissen magnified Sarnia's bad luck in the opening stanza by scoring with a shot from the point to give the home team the lead.

But the Legionnaires kept pressing and they were finally rewarded when Jordan McBeath scored his first of the season with his own slapshot from the blueline. Jeff Schroeter and Arkalov drew assists. Derek D'Andrea didn't get credited with helper but he probably deserved one for standing in front of the net, providing an effective screen.

Jesse Drydak put Sarnia ahead at 12:54, displaying great hand-eye coordination as he batted a puck out of the air and into the cage. Owen Rogers and Nathan Mater assisted on what was Drydak's 24^th of the campaign.

Before the period was out, however, the Lincs had tied the score.

Afterward, Sarnia assistant coach Mike Fleming said the Legionnaires lost the game at least partly because they failed to capitalize on so many great chances in the first 20 minutes.

Second period letdown

In the second frame the Lincs got a rather soft goal in the first two minutes, then jumped into a 4-2 lead shortly after that.

Sarnia was handed a glorious opportunity to get back into the contest after the Lincs ran into a rash of penalties. But the Legionnaires could not find the back of the net, although they controlled play and hit another goal post.

St. Marys, which was shorthanded two men for over two minutes, escaped unscathed. For the game as a whole, the Lincs penalty killers were flawless, turning back seven Sarnia power-plays.

"I thought we brought the pace to them for a good period of time," Fleming said afterward. "The turning point was not capitalizing on our 5-3 powerplays. That gave them momentum. We had a lot of chances but we couldn't put the puck in the net."
Roughhouse third stanza

In the final stanza St. Marys went ahead 5-2 but the Legionnaires refused to quit. Arkalov got his ninth of the year when, standing in the slot, he sent a high shot into the net. Schroeter and D'Andrea assisted.

For Arkalov, it was his 17^th point in 20 games. And that figure doesn't include two game-winning shootout goals he has scored for Sarnia.

The Russian teen missed the first dozen games of the schedule as he waited for Hockey Canada bureaucrats to get around to approving him for play.

In any case, St. Marys scored into an empty net in the final minute of play to seal the deal.
There were two fights in the third period, including one in which Sarnia's Andy Sokol scored a decisive win over his Lincolns opponent. The other dustup, which involved the Legionnaires Tanner Tomlinson, was a draw.

Sarnia also got some revenge for the crushing check that injured Tanner Ferguson when, in the final frame, a hard check sent a St. Marys player to his dressing room in obvious pain.

Game notes:

• Goalie Kyle Washer, who has surrendered five goals in each of his last four starts, took the loss. He is now 14-5-1.

• Travis Mullin was called up from the Jr. 'C' Mooretown Flags and played a strong game on defence.

• Defenceman Jefff Paulley missed his second straight game attending to family matters.

• Head coach Dan Rose, who has been away for a week, will return for the next Legionnaires contest.

• Sarnia is now back at the .500 mark.